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Disadvantages of Biodiesel.
A list of the Disadvantages of Biodiesel
Biodiesel do have some disadvantages but all of these disadvantages have an easy solution.
Biodiesel gels in cold weather. Biodiesel does gel in very cold weather, but so does conventional petrodiesel. The temprature at which Biodiesel starts to gel will depend on what product is used to make the biodiesel with. For example Biodiesel made from Canola Oil will gell at around -10°C (14 °F) and Biodiesel made from Tallow gels at around +16 °C (61 °F). Easy solution.
Biodiesel, just like petrodiesel, can not sit the shelf for ever. Most petroluem diesel manufacturers recommend that you use the diesel within 6 months from date of purchase. Biodiesel has about the same life expectancy and when it gets a bit old it will start to grow mold. Luckily there is a very easy solution to solve this disadvantage.
Biodiesel can be made from a wide variety of feedstock including some of which are used as food. When you use a food crop to create biodiesel it is possible to create competition between food in poor countries and Biodiesel fuel in rich countries. For example a rich country can go and buy all the coconuts in Mozambique, a poor country, and use that to make biodiesel. By doing this the rich country take away the only form of food and nutrition that a lot of people in that country depend on. On the other side farmers may stop planting food crops and rather plant crops that can be used to make Biodiesel because they can get more money for that kind of crop. The solution to this disadvantage is honestly not that easy, that is why there is a whole page dedicated to Food versus Fuel.
Biodiesel has Higher NOx Emissions. When you compare 100% Biodiesel (B100) to conventional petrodiesel, B100's Nitrogen Oxide emissions is on average about 10% higher than that of conventional petrodiesel. For B20 the difference in Nitrogen Oxide emissions is between 2% increase and 2% decrease depending on the testing conditions and the engine. To see an easy solution to this disadvantage click on the link.
Biodiesel decreases Horsepower. Biodiesel can decrease your engine's Horsepower, but only when the Biodiesel used is of an inferior quality. That is why you should always and only use High-Quality Biodiesel in your motor. Biodiesel of a low quality can decrease your Horsepower by upto 25% in the worst cases. The solution to this Disadvantage is easy - Use High Quality Biodiesel. ASTM D6751 is the quality standard for biodiesel in the USA and Canada. The European equivalent is the EN 14214. In South Africa biodiesel quality is measured according to SANS 1935:2004. Make sure that your Biodiesel Supplier is making Biodiesel that measure up to these Standards.
Biodiesel degrades the rubber in your Engine. Biodiesel in blends above B20 does tend to soften and degrade natural rubber compounds and elastomers over time. The greater the percentage Biodiesel to petrodiesel the faster this degration happens. It was found that Biodiesel blends, B20 and below has no effect on the rubber and elastomers whatsoever. This problem was solved when we made the switch to low sulfur diesel, although older cars could still be effected by this.
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